The Tower of Babel

So I'm trying to read through the Bible in one year with our paster, Sam, and several other members of our church. Sam's got a little blog where he writes a bit about that day's reading and then we can all go post questions and thoughts. I think it's fabulous! It's like an online book club! You should join us!

Today in our reading was the story of the tower of babel and although I've hear the story a thousand times, it was just today that I finally got it. I never really understood why God was so against them building the tower, but now, it all makes sense!

God wanted the people to spread out, multiply, and worship him, but instead they tried to build a tall tower- a way to reach the heavens and "make a name for themselves." With their numbers, they would have succeeded in reaching way up high, but of course they would never be like God. Still, with the great human weakness of pride, the people would think they were like God. They would focus on how much they could do and what they could accomplish, instead of seeing that they were actually small, sinful, and in need of God.

I think God loved humanity too much to let them waste their existence accomplishing things. Sure, there's nothing inherently wrong with working and accomplishing, but when done out of pride, it consumes us. We were not made to accomplish things. We were made to worship God. Our work needs to be a form of worshiping God, not a reason for others to admire (worship) us! When God stirred up humanity’s language, he reminded them who was God and hopefully helped them to see that they needed to worship God, not try to become god.

This all really hits home to me. I had a long struggle with my own need to accomplish, achieve, and produce results before it finally sunk in that God wants a relationship, not performance.